Hermes in the Stars
by KatarinaR
Summary: The Hermes crew was made famous after losing Mark Watney on Mars. But that's not all that they've done together! Meet our favorite crew and characters before, during, and after the Ares 4 mission! Beck/ Johanssen! T because I'm paranoid.
1. Chapter 1

**Hermes in the Stars: Chapter 1**

 _Coffee_

 **Disclaimer: I wish I was Andy Weir.**

Chris Beck couldn't sleep. He paced around his small room in NASA headquarters, his brain foggy from exhaustion, but his body refusing to relax. He wasn't normally a big worrier, but this was certainly an exception. Three weeks. three weeks until he and his five other crew mates were thrust in a 'tin can' to Mars. What if something went wrong? He needed coffee. It would clear his head.

He stumbled blearily to the kitchen which the soon-to-be astronauts shared with whatever NASA personnel passed through. He turned on the machine, then flopped down in a chair. He looked up when he heard someone giggle. The kitchen had been empty, hadn't it? The giggler scurried away, moved about near the counter-top, then came back. He recognized that face! Johanssen!

"Hey," he said. "'S funny?" Sleep-deprivation slurred his speech, and he put his head down on the cool metal table. He could just fall asleep there...

"You forgot your mug," Johanssen pointed out. He glanced towards the steaming machine and realized she was right. If it weren't for her quick actions, coffee would be pooling on the work surface by now. Oops.

"Thanks," he muttered. Johanssen got up, stirring something into the now-full cup. _Milk,_ he thought weakly. _Milk is good. It comes from cows, like Martinez's tacos. Yum._

The mug was slammed down in front of his face and he jumped to attention, which made Johanssen laugh evn harder, if that was possible. He took a sip, and immediatly felt better. It was only after he'd polished off the entire mug that he began to feel suspicious.

"What did you do?"

"What? Oh, um nothing," Johanssen said, blushing furiously.

He gave her his perfected 'Doctor Glare,' as Watney and Martinez called it, and she caved.

"Red Bull helps me think," she said defensively.

"What?" He jerked upright, his mind sharpening by the second. He'd hate to admit-it, but Johanssen's "coffee" was a good pick-me-up. "Do you have any idea-"

"Yeah, yeah. Don't doctor me! I'm a caffeine addict, I know that. Now let me code in peace."

Beck sat down again, leaning on her shoulder. "I'm sowry," he said, mimicking Watney's puppy eyes perfectly.

Johanssen laughed. "You idiot. I forgive you."

Commander Lewis walked in the next morning to find two of her crewmen snuggled up in front of Johanssen's computer. Even if the canoodling bit was an accident, she'd have to keep an eye on those two.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hermes in the Stars, Chapter 2**

 _The List_

 **Disclaimer: I only own the computer. Darn!**

Mark pulled a sullen Johanssen from her bunk. He dragged her down the hall, and left her in the kitchen with a firm order to 'stay there.' If Martinez had seen it, he would've told Watney that he was turning into Commander Lewis, and Watney would've scowled good naturally. But Martinez was still slumped over the side of had bed, mouth open and yesterday's clothes rumpled. So Johanssen wasn't the only one dragged out of bed. In the end, though, Watney had assembled the entire Ares 4 crew, and they were sitting at the kitchen table, (which had become the central hub of all their activity.) Vogel was frying sausages for the team, and Beck was teasing him about his stereotypical 'German-ness.' Finally, Watney pulled a red marker from the pocket of his pants, confiscated Johanssen's distracting computer, and got Martinez to stop whining about getting up _this early_.

"It's nearly seven," Beck pointed out, which only led to more grumbling from the former Marine.

Watney rolled his eyes, and taped a piece of paper to the walls. He turned to the crew.

"Alright. I realized, we're leaving in two weeks. So," he said proudly. "I had an idea!"

Martinez gasped. "Holy- guys! Watney had an idea!"

The group laughed, and Watney kicked Martinez's chair.

"We're leaving for Mars," Watney pointed out, "and we won't see Earth again for almost two years." This sobered up the team instantly. Watney'd struck a nerve. Johanssen looked at Beck, who paled, and stared back at her. The rendezvous of the previous week had not been forgotten. Beck had struck up a habit in which he'd visit the Tech expert almost every night, when he had a nightmare or simply couldn't sleep. They all knew that they'd be leaving a normal life behind once the rocket's ignitions fired.

"My _idea_ is that we all think of things we'll miss, like... things that we can't access on Earth. And then we all go out and do those things, or buy them, or whatever. Just so that when we're not on Earth anymore, we can still remember them." He stood, having finished his sentence, and waited for their reply.

"Going to the park with Luca," Martinez said, his sarcasm gone. "And visiting my parents."

"I would like to write going to the library," Vogel added.

"And doughnuts with coffee," Johanssen interjected.

"Going out to the movies," Beck said.

The crew looked towards Lewis, who had a wicked gleam in her eye. "For this next one, I have an order for you all. Even you, boys. What I say, we must _all_ do, no matter whether you like it or not." The room was silent, and Watney groaned.

"I should never have opened my mouth. What is it, Commander?"

"Disco parties."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hermes in the Stars, Chapter 3**

 _Who Stole My Bagel?_

Martinez's wife had sent dropped off bagels for the team one morning, with _SHARE, Rick,_ printed across the side of the container. Martinez dropped it on the counter, not planning for any of his team members to see the box. Then he realized, that to optimize his time, he'd grab his laptop and check his e-mail at the table. So he went off, leaving the half-dozen bagels on the counter top.

He came back in a few minutes later, laptop in hand, to find the rest of the crew in the kitchen, and the box completely empty.

"Who stole my food," he cried, feeling his patience levels sink into the negatives. He'd have to _live_ with these guys soon enough. His shout turned heads, and caused Vogel to jump up, knocking his chair into the wall, and sending it crashing to the floor.

"I just came in," Beck said, throwing his hands up.

"I was with him," said Johanssen.

"I would not take your food," Vogel said defensively. "I have my own!"

"Oh, come on, Martinez," Commander Lewis complained. "You're overreacting."

"But they're mine," he whined. He turned to Watney. "Did you steal them?"

"I didn't know there were bagels in this kitchen until you started yelling about them," he replied.

Martinez groaned. "Those were my _breakfast_ , guys!" He slumped in a chair, flopping both his arms across the table. He sure was skilled at sulking.

"Man up," Lewis reprimanded him. "You're an astronaut, not a three year old." She sighed. "Go make yourself an egg, or something.

He stomped over to the fridge, and opened the door. "Where're the eggs, Commander?" She shrugged. He searched the entire refrigerator, groaning when no eggs turned up. "I'll just make some coffee," he whined, shuffling over to the fridge. But when he opened the top of the machine, he was greeted with a horrific stench. "Who left the coffee grounds in here overnight?"

"Sorry," said Johanssen guiltily. When everyone glared at her, she held her arms in front of her face. "Don't shoot," she cried. "It was three o'clock, and I was distracted!" She blushed, for no reason obvious to Martinez.

"Well, I don't care," he huffed. "It's ten o'clock now, and I DON'T HAVE BREAKFAST!"

"Es ist zu fruh," Vogel muttered, not even bothering to pick up his chair as he sat heavily on the table's edge.

Eventually, the rest of the team at down, all chatting happily, except for Martinez, who was poking halfheartedly at one of Beck's low-fat yogurts. The toaster dinged, and Watney hopped up to grab its contents. He tripped over Vogel's fallen chair, and crashed to the floor. Bagels tumbled from beneath his sweatshirt, scattering across the floor.

"WATNEY," Martinez roared. "YOU TOOK MY BAGELS!"

"Hey," aren't you supposed to be sharing?"

Martinez growled. "Give my food back!"

"Mark, you'd better go look up 'sharing' in the dictionary," Commander Lewis laughed.

 **By the way, dear readers, 'Es ist zu fruh' means 'it's too early in German. Also, for those of you "Deutsche" speakers who cringe at my spelling of 'fruh,' forgive me, my keyboard only speaks English.**


End file.
